adaptive female athletes

October 2025 -

Ongoing visual research celebrating binary and non-binary amateur and professional sports people. An expansive project exploring a spectrum of activities and movement communities women participate in.

The goal: To map out the ways visible or invisible disabilities shape the world, and the women who perform with them.

A woman lying on her side on a bed of fallen leaves, resting her head on a soccer ball, outdoors.
Black and white photo of a woman with long dark hair, squinting and slightly opening her mouth, wearing earrings and a jacket with a high collar outdoors.
A woman outdoors, wearing sports gear and a hearing aid, preparing to head a soccer ball during a game.
A black and white photo of a dog in a park, with a frisbee flying in the air. There is a bridge, trees, and a building in the background.

“Sport HAS empowered me to embrace my deaf identity with pride.” that autism and athleticism coexist, and gave me space to rediscover myself after DIAGNOSIS.” 

—Claire Stancliffe, GB & England deaf women’s football - 3 times deaflympian & 4 times medallist.

Close-up of a young woman with long brown hair, slightly windblown, wearing a gray t-shirt, against a cloudy sky background.

“Sport empowered me to show that autism and athleticism coexist, and gave me space to rediscover myself after DIAGNOSIS.”

—Lara Sullivan, Amateur runner
A woman running on a track, wearing a gray sweatshirt with orange sleeves and black shorts, with focused expression, set against an outdoor athletic field and cloudy sky.
Close-up of a person holding a stethoscope with both hands, fingers interlaced, in black and white.
Person lying on the floor with sports gloves, orange background, relaxed pose.
A mixed martial arts fighter prepares for a match in a gym, wearing white fight gloves, with logos on her shirt and gear.
A female athlete in a white and maroon sports uniform leaning on a padded wall during a training session in an indoor sports facility.

“Sport has empowered me to push in ways that I have never felt comfortable to do before.”

—Nicole Brennan, GB Para taekwondo athlete

“Sport has empowered me to fully accept my disability and learn that there are no limits to what i can achieve.”

— Izzy Papandronicou, England Amputee Football Player